10 Best Hard Rock Bands Of The 1970's

For as feral and ferocious as the hard rock genre could be, the common criticism placed on a lot of the bands were the rudimentary nature of the songs, which tended to follow either simple riffs or a typical blues format. Once Queen had started making a name for themselves, hard rock was now taken to music school.

The sound that the band created was always incredibly heavy while still staying rooted in an understanding of music theory that was unprecedented at the time. While all of the band's members were independent writers, the collaborative process took the greatest aspects of the individuals and made a magnificent collective Queen sound. Brian May's guitar tone not only made for great hard rock stompers but also mini musical symphonies as he incorporated three part harmony into his playing style. Of course, you can't get around talking about Queen without Freddie Mercury, whose fantastic singing and stage presence set the template for what is expected from the rock and roll frontman.

While time has gone by since we've lost Queen as a musical presence, the band's songs have held up over time as some of the most sophisticated rock of its era. Many years from now, Queen's music may have the capacity to outlive us all.